Are Omega-3s good for animals too?

The benefits of Omega-3s for humans have been known for a very long time. But did you know that, ever since researchers began to take an interest in their positive health effects, numerous studies have also been carried out on their possible advantages for pets? Interesting findings are not lacking for either dogs or cats and, although on the whole experts have focused more on the benefits for the former than for the latter, we can answer without too much hesitation that yes, Omega-3s are good for our animal friends too.

The possible areas of application of these fats in veterinary nutrition include promoting healthy growth and the prevention or management of various diseases (cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, orthopaedic and dermatological), but that is not all. Indeed, Omega-3s are also allies of the brain, vision and immune defences of our four-legged companions.

Omega-3 for the health of dogs

In the case of dogs, the benefits of an adequate intake of Omega-3 are evident from birth. In puppies, an increased consumption of fish oil (one of the best sources of marine Omega-3) promotes better development, above all because of the role of these fats in the maturation of the brain and vision. The benefits for the nervous system then seem to continue into older age too. For example, the intake of Omega-3 within a feed enriched with antioxidants has been associated with a reduction in the symptoms of cognitive decline in older animals; moreover, the use of fish oil has produced encouraging results in the management of epilepsy, while reduced blood levels of specific Omega-3s have been associated with aggressive behaviour.

In general, in dogs long-chain Omega-3s (such as those in fish oil) have been associated with the modulation of inflammatory phenomena and immune responses, with benefits affecting various organs and tissues, including the nervous system, the eyes, the skin and the heart.

Omega-3 for the health of cats

As mentioned, in the case of cats the studies are fewer, but there is no shortage of noteworthy data. For example, some research suggests the possible benefits of Omega-3 in the treatment of dermatological conditions (such as idiopathic dermatitis), kidney diseases, degenerative joint diseases and osteoarthritis, breast cancer and obesity. In the latter case, it seems that the intake of long-chain Omega-3 may also keep in check the risk of diabetes associated with excess weight.

Why increase the Omega-3 intake in animal nutrition?

Just as in the case of the human population, pets living in Western countries also follow a diet rich in Omega-6 fats. This is why increasing the intake of Omega-3 is particularly important: it makes it possible to properly balance the effects of the various polyunsaturated fats.

Indeed, in the case of our four-legged friends too, we must remember that not all polyunsaturated fats are the same and, in particular, that Omega-6 and Omega-3 tend to have opposite effects. The tendentially pro-inflammatory properties of the former are counterbalanced by the tendentially anti-inflammatory ones of the latter, and when their ratio is excessively skewed towards Omega-6 (as often happens, precisely, in the diets of dogs and cats), pets too end up running the risks associated with a state of high inflammation – risks that include various problems of a chronic nature.

The information available in the scientific literature has led the US National Research Council (NRC) to recommend that adult dogs be given 0.11 g of EPA and DHA per 1000 kcal, a dose that in the growth phase rises to 0.13 g/1000 kcal and to which, again in the growth phase, 0.20 g of ALA should be added. The same NRC has recommendations for the nutrition of cats: 0.025 g/1000 kcal of EPA + DHA, to which, for kittens, 0.05 g/1000 kcal of ALA should be added.

Today the market offers various blends of products similar to Omega-3 supplements for human use. It should be noted, however, that, just as in the case of us humans, for animals too one Omega-3 is not the same as another. In particular, it is worth stressing that animals too do not seem able to use ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) efficiently, that is the precursor of the biologically active Omega-3s EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Studies that have focused on the case of dogs, for example, have detected a high capacity to convert the progenitor of Omega-6 (linoleic acid, LA) into its pro-inflammatory derivative arachidonic acid (AA), but a low capacity to convert ALA into its anti-inflammatory derivative EPA and an even lower capacity to obtain DHA from ALA – the Omega-3 that is the brain's ally par excellence.

It is better, therefore, to be careful: the simple wording “source of Omega-3” or “rich in Omega-3” does not guarantee that a feed contains the nutrients our animal friends need. Products enriched with flaxseed, walnut or soybean oils are sources of ALA, but not of EPA and DHA, and the low capacity of pets to convert the former into the latter could, in fact, make the addition useless. On the contrary, the addition of marine ingredients (such as fish oil) ensures the supply of the Omega-3s needed to protect the health of our animals (EPA and DHA).

Let me tell you about a study…

In 2021, a Norwegian group of researchers published in the journal Veterinary Medicine and Science a study comparing, in dogs, the efficacy of Omega-3 intake from flaxseed oil (a source of ALA) and Omega-3 from krill oil (a source of EPA and DHA).

Ten huskies received, for 6 weeks, 1,068 mg of ALA or 1,155 mg of EPA + DHA per day; the Omega-3 levels in their bodies were assessed at the start of the experiment and after 3 and 6 weeks. It was thus discovered that, in dogs, the concentrations of EPA and DHA had increased significantly only if they had received EPA + DHA, whereas in the animals that had taken ALA they had even decreased!

«This», the authors concluded, «suggests that sources of EPA and DHA are needed in dog feeds».

Discover Omegor® Pet!

We at Omegor, always attentive to the specific needs of all the members of your family, have not forgotten your pets either! For them we have developed Omegor® Pet, a complementary feed for dogs and cats based on marine Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) provided in the form of purified fish oil.

Omegor® Pet is formulated to support and promote the development and well-being of your animals. Its daily consumption can be suitable to help their heart work well, reduce any joint and skin inflammation they live with and improve the appearance of their skin and coat. Give it directly into your pet's mouth, or pierce the capsule and squeeze its contents into their food; the recommended doses are as follows:

• 1 capsule a day up to 5 kg of body weight;
• 2 capsules a day up to 15 kg of body weight;
• 3 capsules a day up to 30 kg of body weight;
• 4 capsules a day above 30 kg of body weight.

No adverse effects are known, but it is important not to exceed the recommended daily dose and not to use Omegor® Pet in case of known hypersensitivity to any of the product's components or other chemically closely related substances.

Omegor® Pet is made up of 90% Omega-3 (50% EPA and 25% DHA). Its ingredients are just 3: fish oil (71.4%), gelatin (origin: pork) and glycerol. EPA and DHA are present in triglyceride form, which allows greater digestibility, greater bioavailability and no unpleasant fishy aftertaste. Each pack contains 60 soft capsules.

Discover all the latest news on the benefits of Omega-3 by reading the Omegor Blog!

References

• Bauer JE. Responses of dogs to dietary omega-3 fatty acids. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2007 Dec 1;231(11):1657-61.
• Bauer JE. The essential nature of dietary omega-3 fatty acids in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2016 Dec 1;249(11):1267-1272.
• Bauer JE. Therapeutic use of fish oils in companion animals. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011 Dec 1;239(11):1441-51.
• Dominguez TE et al. Enhanced omega-3 index after long- versus short-chain omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in dogs. Vet Med Sci. 2021 Mar;7(2):370-377.
• Nasciutti PR et al. Protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease stages B2 and C. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 15;16(7):e0254887.
• NRC Nutritional Requirements for Adult Cats.
• NRC Nutritional Requirements for Adult Dogs.
• NRC Nutritional Requirements for Kittens.
• NRC Nutritional Requirements for Puppy.